


between me and you

by bleulily (winterfells)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Early 20th Century, Alternate Universe - Fullmetal Alchemist 2003/Brotherhood Fusion, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Freeform, M/M, Political Intrigue, Post War Trauma, Secret Relationship, future mentions of ptsd, loosely based on royai
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-06-21 18:29:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15563853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterfells/pseuds/bleulily
Summary: “Can’t wait for our next call,” Lance had said from the other line, his voice a velvet melody. He had never been so flirtatious, so forward with Keith before, and Keith was loving it. The exchange of lines, the wishes to see each other again -- Keith wanted more.“Me neither,” Keith said quietly, and a small smile began to form on his lips. He had played with fire for so many years in his life, yet nothing had felt quite as risky as this. “If you’re not busy this weekend, I’d like to take you on a walk with me, and perhaps invite you to dinner if you wish.”It took a moment for Lance to reply, but Keith could almost see his smile when he spoke. “I’d like that.”A series of moments where Keith and Lance try to manage having a relationship while being members of the military.





	1. i

**Author's Note:**

> I've been meaning to write a klance fma au, so here it is. As I mentioned in the tags, klance are loosely based off royai in this fic, but I've changed a lot of things around so this is kind of a different story. Also, I kind of wanted to avoid the humonculi in this au, but don't fret! The fuhrer is still a bad guy, and there's still some political intrigue in this story so I hope you guys still enjoy.
> 
> Another thing to mention is this fic is pretty much a series of little stories / moments in Keith and Lance's relationship, and it all comes together into one. So basically what I'm trying to say is that there's going to be several time skips between each chapter.
> 
> Big thanks to [ Jessie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talking_Bird/pseuds/Talking_Bird) and [ Noelle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenericHero/pseuds/GenericHero) who helped me beta-read this fic, as well as all my friends who encouraged me to write this story.
> 
> Title comes from They Don't Know About Us by One Direction.

**February, 1915. Central, Amestris.**

 

Keith stared at the phone in front of him, patiently awaiting a call.

He had gotten rather fond of the instrument as he realised how useful it was for work and communication with those he was close with. Ever since he had joined the military, he often found himself travelling away from his mother, and on the opposite side of the country from his brother. He often used it to call for help, to learn new information, to deliver messages to his coworkers. But truth to be told, he never imagined he would use such an instrument to deliver subtle messages of love.

Keith wasn’t the flirtatious type -- not really. He had frequently been encouraged by his brother to pursue a few boys, to have a little fun, and perhaps to settle down with someone one day. But Keith had his eyes set on someone for several years now, and although he never expected to get anything out of it, he remained loyal to his feelings. Nevertheless, Keith Kogane was a quick learner, and he found himself rather enjoying the art of coquetry with someone he was interested in.

He turned to look at the window, his stomach twisting with anxiety. He felt like a little kid impatiently awaiting for the time when he could go out and play with his friends. His cheeks flushed and he shook his head at himself. He was aware of a group of subordinates working around him, some engulfed by the papers they were going through, others gossiping and sharing stories. Keith couldn’t afford to look like a fool in front of them, not when he was supposed to set an example, not when he was hoping to get to a higher rank.

_“Can’t wait for our next call,” Lance had said from the other line, his voice a velvet melody. He had never been so flirtatious, so forward with Keith before, and Keith was loving it. The exchange of lines, the wishes to see each other again -- Keith wanted more._

_“Me neither,” Keith said quietly, and a small smile began to form on his lips. He had played with fire for so many years in his life, yet nothing had felt quite as risky as this. “If you’re not busy this weekend, I’d like to take you on a walk with me, and perhaps invite you to dinner if you wish.”_

_It took a moment for Lance to reply, but Keith could almost see his smile when he spoke. “I’d like that.”_

Keith was aware that this was only for work, that Lance was working undercover and he wouldn’t actually go on a walk with him and then stay with him for dinner, but he liked to imagine the possibility -- toy with the idea that perhaps Lance felt the same and his flirting meant as much as Keith’s did. Keith knew it was dangerous, and had thought about toning down his flirting, but then the phone rang.

It only rang once before he answered, and he felt his cheeks flush again as a couple of subordinates stared at him and began to gossip, but he didn’t care, not in that moment. “Good morning, Rowan,” he said, his voice eager. “I hope your morning has been as beautiful as you.”

Lance chuckled. “I think that’s up to question. I’ve been dealing with some rather annoying customers,” he replied, “But I’m really happy to hear your voice again.”

Keith’s heart stammered in his chest and he took a deep breath. It hadn’t even been two hours since the last time they exchanged glances, and yet a part of Keith was hoping that Lance missed him, that he  found joy in hearing Keith’s voice again.

“You know, Rowan,” he said, his voice changing into the same velvety tone Lance had used with him before. “If you keep saying things like this, I might have to call you more often.”

There was a small gasp coming from Lance’s line, barely audible, but Keith was able to catch it. He didn’t respond for a long moment, and Keith was beginning to get nervous when he heard Lance’s voice again. “You know, Keith -- I would love it if you did that.”

Keith smiled then, and nodded despite Lance being unable to see him. They continued chatting over the phone, Lance keeping him informed about his mission, about the position of each member of their team, while simultaneously keeping up with Keith’s shameless flirting. He had gotten quite good at it, and every time they spoke, Keith felt more comfortable doing it. He was a little cocky at times, throwing cheeky comments when he so wished. He found Lance giggling or gasping over the other side of the line, sometimes even unable to give Keith a response, and it filled Keith’s chest with warmth. _He had managed to make Lance giggle._

He had considered throwing in a comment about them dining together again, but he wasn’t sure how Lance would respond to it, so he kept it to himself. There was still so much Keith didn’t understand, like how he could know the way Lance felt about him, or what to do if Lance reciprocated his feelings. It was something he would often ponder in the loneliness of his home, with only the flames from his chimney he had created to keep himself warm as  company.

“I’ve been practicing a few tricks lately that I’d like to show you,” Keith said smugly, his fingers snapping to form a little spark shaped like a heart. “I don’t usually feel comfortable doing these things, but I really want you to see this.”

He patiently waited for a response, wondering if Lance was curious about his words. Lance knew almost everything that Keith could do -- Lance was the reason Keith knew anything about flame alchemy at all, but he had been trying to do something different to surprise Lance, to see if he could manage to make him smile. But after a long moment of silence, Lance still hadn’t given him a response.

“Rowan?” Keith asked, his voice full of worry, “Are you alright, love?”

There was a pang of silence before he was able to hear Lance’s voice again. “Sorry, Keith, I’m gonna have to hang up now. I’m afraid I have to deal with a very tedious customer.”

Keith’s eyes widened. It wasn’t often that Lance would be interrupted or attacked in the middle of an undercover mission. He was always the one who was hiding, the one who had everyone else’s backs. Sometimes Pidge would find herself in trouble, but it was Lance who saved her by shooting her attackers. Other times he would warn Hunk before anyone got to him, tell him about the location of his opponents before they even got the chance to lay a hand on him. But they would never get to Lance and his hawk-like sight.

Keith’s free hand turned into a fist and he banged it against his desk in desperation, but he managed to hold the phone against his ear, hoping Lance would say something to him again. He heard loud shots and a yell, but he couldn’t tell if it was Lance who had been yelling.

Keith closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

 

* * *

 

 

The smell of burning skin filled Keith’s nostrils. It was a smell Keith was used to, it had been following him for years now, but often times it made him feel uncomfortable and guilty, and in those days he wished he could smell something else.

He turned to face the creature in front of him -- a chimera, half human, half goat. It reminded him of a demon with its human torso and horns. Keith looked at it with disgust, his stomach twisting at the memory of what the creature was about to do to Lance. How could a demon like this even manage to get so close to him?

“You’re an idiot,” Lance muttered under his breath. He was standing behind the chimera, his eyes cast down, the coat and glasses he had been wearing as a disguise fell to the floor. He didn’t dare to look at Keith in that moment, and in a way Keith was grateful. Keith knew Lance was disappointed in him for acting on his impulses instead of staying at his post, but he couldn’t leave Lance on his own, not when he had been so close to losing him.

“I’m sorry,” Keith said, his voice soft. He was still looking at the chimera as he spoke, but he was aware of Lance’s gaze falling onto him.

“You could have gotten all of us in trouble, Colonel,” Lance said, louder now. “We agreed about you staying at your post. Why did you not stay at your post? This could have been dangerous!”

Keith’s eyes locked onto Lance’s then, and Keith found a mirror of his own desperation in those beautiful blue eyes. Keith wanted to run to him, to hold him, but he stood in his place as Lance had expected of him earlier. “I’m not going to rest while my subordinates are in danger. It is my duty to protect you, _all of you_.”

Lance opened his mouth to speak, but immediately closed it again. He took one last look at Keith and his features softened, a hint of a smile on his lips. “I’ll go search for the others. I lost connection with everyone in the middle of the fight, and I’m not sure what kind of state they’re in.”

“Let’s go, then,” Keith instructed, immediately following Lance’s steps and finding his way ahead. He didn’t have to look back to know Lance was now following him.

They began walking down the stairs of the half destroyed building Lance had been hiding in. Keith was sure the place had been beautiful once -- a perfect example of gothic architecture, but it was nothing more than dusty ruins now. Keith’s hands moved to the walls, to feel the texture of it, to entertain himself in memories of a past he had never known. He wondered how many stories a place like this held, and how it had come to its downfall.

“Colonel,” Lance said, his voice lacking any emotion. Keith turned to look at him, confused, wondering if Lance had only spoken like that to later make fun of him, but instead he found Lance pointing at something ahead of them.

Keith turned his head then, a feeling of dread building in his stomach. There was another chimera walking towards them, similar to the one that had attacked Lance earlier, but without the human torso. This one seemed more feline, more dangerous. Keith instinctively placed himself in front of Lance to protect him, but Lance had already pulled a gun and shot at the chimera before it even had the chance to get anywhere near Keith.

The chimera groaned in pain as the bullet grazed its arm, then turned its attention to Lance. Lance took one look at Keith before stepping in front of him, determined. He shot at the chimera once, then twice, before Keith took action. He knew Lance was trying to protect him, the same way he had done many times before, but the mental image of Lance trapped by the other chimera clouded his mind again and he found himself snapping his fingers to attack their opponent.

“Hey, I had the guy!” Lance exclaimed frustratedly.

The chimera roared in fury and ran towards Keith, its tail still burning from the attack. Keith’s eyes widened, a part of him filling with fear. The creature moved so quickly he was barely able to dodge it. He closed his eyes and tried to snap his fingers quickly -- tried to find a way to protect himself before being attacked, but his thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang.

When he opened his eyes, he found the chimera lying on the floor, either unconscious or very likely dead with Lance standing behind it, gun still in his hands. Keith let out a long sigh, feeling the relief reach every part of his body, and smiled at Lance.

“I have to admit, I’m glad you had the guy.”

Lance looked at him then, his arms dropping to his sides. Keith hadn’t given himself the chance to look at him properly until then -- he was wearing a very polished suit, one Keith had never seen him wearing before. Keith had gotten so used to seeing Lance wear his military uniform by now that whenever he saw Lance wearing anything else, his breath hitched. He looked unbearably handsome, and it was even more painful to look at when he realised Lance was returning his smile.

“I’ve told you before, I’m quite the sharpshooter,” he said smugly, “Besides, you promised you’d take me out to dine this weekend, and you can’t exactly do that if you’re wounded.”

“Ah yes, I’d been looking up nice places in Central while we were speaking. I’ll keep you updated.”

Lance’s eyes widened, and for a moment Keith swore his cheeks were now a beautiful shade of pink. “We better catch up with the others,” he said, moving ahead of Keith.

Keith followed him then, a satisfied smile forming on his lips.

  
  
  



	2. ii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to [ Jessie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talking_Bird/pseuds/Talking_Bird), [ Noelle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenericHero/pseuds/GenericHero) and [ Sarah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilgaksu) who helped me beta-read this fic.

**April, 1915. Central, Amestris.**

 

Lance walked through the streets of Central with a stack of papers in hand and a book that wasn’t his.

There was something about the nights in the city that he liked. The noises, the lights, the people quietly finding their way back home, it was all such a stark contrast to the kind of nights he spent in his father’s home out in the country, reading after his father’s instructions or listening to Keith’s fantastic stories about the city.

He thought of his new apartment, of how much he had fought to find a home like this in Central. It was his pride and joy, he loved being able to stand on his own without his family intervening. Lance’s grandfather thought of helping him and went so far as to offer him a place to stay in his own manor, but with a stern word from Lance and Keith’s morning newspaper, Lance convinced his grandfather that he’d found a perfect and affordable place to live in--one that even his cat Blue had fallen in love with.

The thought of finding his way back home filled him with warmth and he found himself walking faster. It wasn’t often that he found himself out and about in the city so late at night. The truth was that as Lance had grown older, he came to prefer the comfort of his bed, with Blue lying by his side, much more than spending his nights drinking with friends and finding his way back to solitude as they left with ladies they’d been courting for the night.

But before going home, Lance had one more stop to make. He found the door to his destination and knocked two times before walking in. Keith had given him a key to his house when they first moved to Central, instructing him only to use it when absolutely necessary. Lance had agreed and knew it would be useful considering the kind of work they did-- going undercover or taking missions that could potentially lead them to danger. But after a while, the key only being used for emergencies went out of the window as Lance found himself using the spare key often when he returned paperwork or books Keith lent him to read during his spare time.

Keith’s house was almost always quiet, much like its owner. It wasn’t a humble abode, but it wasn’t ostentatious either; it was a perfect symphony of elements that Lance thought could easily be used to describe Keith. It had a grand library full of books with endless knowledge, and a pretty garden where Lance and Keith would spend their Sunday afternoons drinking coffee and sharing their time in comfortable silence while birds and butterflies flew around them. It was Lance’s favourite place after his own apartment.

“Keith?” Lance called, his voice loud enough for Keith to hear him regardless of where he was settled in, “I came here to bring you back the book I borrowed.”

He patiently waited for a response, but after a moment of silence, he realised Keith might not have heard. He called again, louder as he walked towards the library, but Keith still wasn’t responding. He clenched his fists in anxiety, but told himself to calm down, that nothing could happen to Keith without him finding out.

He found Keith sleeping in the library, his head resting on top of an open book. He had been studying alkahestry and its origin for the past few weeks, often informing Lance about his recent discoveries. Lance knew Keith was interested in learning about it after he discovered he had a Xingese mother, and Lance himself had been the one to suggest Keith to learn about it as much as he could.

Lance smiled at the sight of Keith sleeping gently at his desk, his eyelashes delicately falling close to his round cheeks. Lance grabbed a lock of Keith’s hair and pushed it gently behind his ear, but his smile dropped as he realised Keith was shaking. It was something Lance was familiar with, the shaking, the whirring noises,  _ the memories _ . He had woken up crying in the middle of the night, shaken by the screams, the cries for help,  _ the blood _ , all filling up his head--not letting him rest.

He placed a hand on Keith’s back and made soothing circles as Keith found his way back to full consciousness. Keith let out a little cry before his back had straightened up from the book he was laying on, his eyes moving towards the words in front of him instead of Lance’s eyes. Keith’s breath was uneven and he didn’t dare to look at Lance, but despite that, Lance realised Keith had been able to recognise him by his sense of smell alone, and he didn’t push him away as he regained consciousness. Lance extended his arms and held Keith in a half-hug, trying his best to offer any comfort he could to a man filled with despair and terrible memories without overstepping.

“Everything will be okay,” Lance whispered over and over again, like a mantra into Keith’s ears. “It’s all over now. Everything will be okay.”

They stayed like that in silence, Lance holding Keith in his arms for as long as he could. He waited for Keith to push him away, to act like nothing had happened afterwards, but Keith smiled at him in gratitude and sat in silence against his chair, his eyes locked onto Lance’s.

“Would you like some tea?” Lance offered, his voice still quiet and tender.

Keith nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving Lance. “Yes,” he replied, his voice raspy. He cleared his throat and nodded again. “I should… I should clean up this mess and pre- prepare it.”

On the words  _ this mess,  _ Keith looked down at himself and Lance shook his head. He placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder and gave him a warm smile. “I think I have a better taste in tea than you, you always pick the most sourest ones. You should sit here and rest for a little. I’ll bring the tea to you.”

Keith didn’t protest and allowed Lance to walk over to the kitchen and prepare the tea. He eventually followed Lance there, his eyes still a little puffy but with an easier demeanor. Lance kept stealing glances at him every now-and-then, and he would always find Keith smiling at him. It made Lance’s heart jostle. When the tea was ready, Lance sat in front of him, returning the smile Keith offered him.

“Thank you so much... for all this,” Keith whispered, his voice soft. “I wasn’t... I wasn't expecting to find you here tonight.”

“I came here to return the book I borrowed from you and bring you the stack of papers Captain Kinkade left on my desk this morning. He wanted you to sign them for tomorrow, so I thought you’d want them tonight”

Keith nodded. “I’ll make sure to sign them.”

Pleased, Lance smiled and took a sip of his drink. As he did, a memory of him and Keith drinking tea just like this at  his father’s house filled his mind. If Lance remembered correctly, he had been only fifteen and Keith was just about to turn seventeen. Keith had been an apprentice under his father’s wing for almost a year by then--the most brilliant pupil to ever study in Master McClain’s household. Lance remembered feeling jealous at first, always wishing he could be an alchemist like his father and the boys who studied in his own home, but over the years he realised that he had skills of his own, ones that could easily match Keith’s alchemy.

_ After an entire afternoon in the manor’s garden, they ran inside the house with soaking clothes from the summer’s rain. They’d agreed to spend their day practicing archery, something they started doing on their own without Lance’s father telling them to. It was one of Lance’s favourite pastimes, much like playing the piano and dancing around in the small ballroom. Lance knew it was something Keith only agreed to do to spend more time with Lance and not because he actually enjoyed it himself. _

_ “I know you’re nervous because I beat you the last time,” Lance said proudly. Keith raised an eyebrow in amusement, but Lance ignored it. “But if we keep practicing, you’ll be a great archer in no time.” _

_ They shot their arrows for hours, laughing and giggling whenever the other failed, sharing stories about their childhood and making terrible jokes about the old man with the quizzical brow who lived nearby--the one who always looked like he was judging them whenever they went to the market to buy groceries together, sometimes hand-in-hand. _

_ It had been a fun afternoon, one Lance had spent laughing until his stomach hurt, but something in the air changed when Lance hit a bullseye and danced to celebrate. Wanting to show off, his eyes quickly moved to Keith, but Keith’s eyes were full of something new, something Lance didn’t understand in that moment. He looked at Lance tenderly, proudly,  _ lovingly _ , and he kept looking at him like that as they drank their tea inside the house. _

It wasn’t much different now, except they were more open with one another after so many years of knowing each other. But despite their years of knowledge, there were still many unspoken words between them, so many things left unsaid in regards to their feelings.

Some tension had grown between them since the first chimera attack at the beginning of the year, when Keith had risked his position to save him--when Lance did all he could to save Keith afterwards.

Lance was aware that part of this tension came from the attack itself, how after that day the attacks had grown in number and no one had been able to figure out what was behind all this. Lance knew how nervous it made Keith, how at any given moment they could be attacked again without any knowledge as to why. Lance thought about Keith’s dream, the bad memories, the attacks, and how different their lives would be if they had taken a different path.

He sighed and took another sip of his tea.

“I know I said this before, but thank you for… being there for me,” Keith said, his eyes now staring off into his cup.

Lance looked up at him and moved a hand towards Keith. He waited for Keith to push him away, but when he didn’t Lance squeezed his hand. “You know when I said I would always be here for you, I meant it.”

Keith didn’t respond, but his eyes had moved to Lance. “I get them sometimes too,” Lance continued. “They’re a whirlwind of memories I wish I could forget. The best thing we can do is remember who we are and try to make the lives of the people who rely on us better. That’s why we chose this life, didn’t we?”

Keith’s eyes moved to the floor, but he nodded quietly. Lance thought of their younger selves, how silly and naïve they had been, following the most ridiculous and idealistic dream. But he was grateful they never stopped, that they kept wanting to chase that dream.

“If you ever… If there are days when you don’t want to be alone at your own apartment, you know you and Blue can always stay here,” Keith said.

Lance felt his cheeks flush and he nodded. “Thanks for your offer, I’m sure she would love to take you up on it.”

Keith snickered. “She’s one pesky thing with strong opinions, but I hope you’ll take me up on it too.”

Lance smiled softly and nodded. He looked at his watch then, and moved to stand up. Keith followed him with his gaze, a brow rising in confusion. “I have to go now,” Lance explained. “I need to get back to feed Blue. Tomorrow’s gonna be a long day, so I should hurry.”

Keith stood from his seat to follow Lance to the door. They walked in comfortable silence before Lance opened the door and walked outside. Keith stared at him for a moment before bidding him goodbye with the same look in his eyes he had that evening when they were teens. Lance’s breath caught.

“I really meant what I said about you and Blue coming to stay whenever you want,” he said, his eyes following the spare key that was now in Lance’s hands. There was so much more in Keith’s eyes than his words had let on, a certain unspoken fear they both were afraid to touch, a certain vulnerability that they had shared several times now, a certain  _ fire  _ that both thrilled and frightened Lance.

“I know,” Lance said, his voice deeper. He found himself following that fire in Keith’s eyes, and his lips gently touched Keith’s cheek. He stood quiet in a moment of realisation of what he had done, then shook his head, his cheeks quickly flushing. “You should try to rest now,” he said quickly, his eyes drifting as far away from Keith as they could. “Tomorrow will be a long day.”

“Right,” Keith said, and Lance was grateful he was leaving now to the comfort of his home because he didn’t dare to look at Keith as he spoke. “Say hello to Blue from me.”

“I will,” Lance said, a small smile forming on his lips. There was so much now that he had to tell her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone for being patient in regards to updates for this. I started going to college and adapting into my new schedule was very difficult, but I'll try to update this fic as soon as possible.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading this, I you guys enjoyed it! If you ever want to gush to me about klance and royai, you can find me on Twitter ([roymvstangs](https://twitter.com/roymvstangs)) and Tumblr ([bleulily](http://bleulily.tumblr.com/))


	3. iii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to [ Jessie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talking_Bird/pseuds/Talking_Bird) and [ Noelle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenericHero/pseuds/GenericHero) who helped me beta-read this fic.

**April, 1915. Central, Amestris.**

 

It had been two weeks since the last time Lance visited Keith at his home. 

Keith tried not to dwell on it much. He continued greeting Lance every morning at work, and slipped easily into conversation with him and the rest of his team. There wasn’t much to talk about between them; everyone was still making up theories regarding the chimera attacks and how they seemed to increase every week, but no one could reach an actual conclusion. There was a moment in which Keith caught Lance staring at him, a question floating in his eyes, but Keith didn’t have time to properly talk to him. Shiro gave Keith a knowing look after Keith’s gaze broke away from Lance’s, a little smirk forming on his lips.

For a moment, Keith wondered if Shiro had caught on to the little distance between him and Lance, or if he was just trying to mess with them. Keith immediately knew Shiro was up to something when he  invited Keith and Lance to dine with him and Adam at his home.

Keith thought Lance would be reluctant to agree to it at first—Lance didn’t know Adam and Shiro as well as Keith did. They were on good speaking terms, but Lance had looked up to him since they first became soldiers and Keith wasn’t sure how comfortable Lance would be in Shiro’s home.

But much to Keith’s surprise, Lance agreed easily and was sitting across from him in Shiro’s dining room, with bright eyes and a pleased smile. His eyes shifted curiously from one place to another as though he was studying every corner of the room he was in. That was the thing about Lance, he paid so much attention to everything, looked at every little detail, and made sure to let everyone around him know that he was there—made sure that everyone received the amount of love they needed.

Keith looked down at the plate before him, his heart swelling with so much affection for Lance that he found himself unable to look at him in the eyes. He settled for listening to the conversation floating around him, the way Lance’s voice seemed to brighten up whenever Shiro and Adam asked him a question about his life outside the military, how proudly he announced that he had found an apartment to live in, and how much his cat loved the place as much as he did.

“Blue really likes the city,” Lance said cheerfully, “She’s a lot like me, so I’m not really surprised. Sometimes she leaves my apartment while I’m at work and comes back with souvenirs she finds. I think she had an affair once, but I don’t think it was serious.”

Shiro chuckled after taking a sip of his wine. His eyes locked with Keith’s for a moment, then he turned back to Lance. “Keith never told me you had a cat.”

Lance looked at Keith, his eyes telling him something Keith couldn’t quite decipher. “I don’t think the colonel’s the kind of man who would talk about people’s personal lives to others. I’m kind of grateful, actually. I’d  _ much  _ rather talk about my darling Blue myself.”

Adam studied Lance for a moment, then his eyes shifted to Keith and he cleared his throat. “She sounds like a lovely girl. I used to tell Shiro we should get a cat, but, of course, he thinks we should get a dog instead.”

“Dogs are a man’s best friend,” Shiro said simply, his eyes roaming over a plate of pastries that lay in the middle of the table. He grabbed one and took a bite, a little grin forming on his lips as he looked at Adam. “If we’re going to start a family, let it be a family of dogs.”

Adam rolled his eyes, but Keith couldn’t help but to notice the small smile he was trying to hide. Keith half listened to the little argument they were having, knowing fully well that they would end up forgetting about it within two minutes. He was distracted by Lance, who stared at the pastries with brows furrowed and eyes glossed over. Keith took one and offered it to Lance.

“Thank you,” Lance said quietly, offering Keith a gentle smile that Keith immediately returned.

“You can take as many as you like, you’re our guest,” Shiro said as he pushed the plate closer to Lance. Lance thanked him and took another bite of his pastry, his eyes gleaming.

They talked for a while, exchanging stories about their lives both in and outside the military. Shiro had heard a lot about Lance’s skills from Keith—how Lance had become a legend after the Ishvalan War for being the troops’ most skilled marksman. Shiro and Lance  had worked together a couple of times—usually Shiro offering to help Keith— and when they did, Lance always got a good story out of it. Adam had probably heard all these stories from both Keith and Shiro before, but he was happy to hear them again from Lance.

Shiro kept watching Keith curiously whenever he and Lance talked about a subject, like he was trying to read Keith’s mind. Keith ignored it and continued enjoying his dinner. The food was as delicious as he expected; he knew that Shiro’s cooking skills were not the best, but he also knew he could always count on Adam to prepare something worthy of a five star restaurant.

“He wouldn’t even let me come near the kitchen,” Shiro admitted. “He thinks I’m bad luck when it comes to cooking.”

Lance laughed. “I don’t how terrible my cooking is, but if you want you’re both welcome to my apartment whenever. My mother taught me a few things before she died, and she was a great cook, so I think I can offer something good enough for dinner.”

“We tried making soup together when Lance’s father was sick once,” Keith said, the memory still fresh in his mind. “The kitchen was a disaster afterwards, but it ended up being great.”

Lance laughed the same way he had done all those years ago, the sound a sweet melody that warmed Keith’s heart. “Keith still hadn’t mastered flame alchemy yet but he still  tried to start the fire on his own. It’s a miracle the house wasn’t a pile of ash after.”

“I still can’t believe he didn’t throw me out after all those times I nearly burnt his house to the ground.”

Lance stopped laughing then, but he gave Keith the most tender smile he had ever given him. “My father loved you, Keith. And so did the rest of my family. He couldn’t throw you out. When you left for the military, the whole family was upset. It just wasn’t the same without you.”

Keith opened his mouth to say something, but everything that came to mind didn’t seem to be enough. He thought about Lance’s family often—how Lance’s siblings would distract him from his reading and ask him to play with them in the afternoons, and the fresh smell of omelettes in the morning when they all ate together before parting ways. He missed them as much as he missed Shiro whenever work separated them.

“I know Veronica writes to you every few months. She doesn’t even do that with me!” Lance said, interrupting Keith’s thoughts.

“You both keep me grounded,” Keith said softly, “but she calls you every week, so I don’t know what you mean.”

Lance laughed and shook his head, his eyes downcast. He stayed quiet for a moment, not bothering to study the amused expressions Shiro and Adam were surely giving them, before he spoke again. “I’ve always told her you don’t like talking much, but you write the most beautiful letters.”

Keith’s eyes widened and his chest felt warm all over again. He couldn’t put into words how much he loved Lance, so he settled for a “thank you” before Adam and Shiro changed the subject. Keith and Lance didn’t exchange another moment like that for the rest of the dinner, but Keith couldn’t stop thinking about his feelings for Lance, and how difficult it was becoming for him to stay quiet about it.

 

* * *

 

 

“There’s something I need to tell you,” Shiro said as he stopped Keith at the doorway. It was a chilly night and Keith couldn’t help but to worry about Lance, who was standing in front of Keith’s car wearing nothing but a shirt and a vest. He wanted to hurry to the car and hand Lance the coat he was wearing.

“If you’re going to say something about me and Lance, please save it.”

Shiro gave him an entertained look, but shook his head. “It’s about the chimera attacks that have been happening for the past few months. My team and I have been doing some research, and we believe they’re coming after state alchemists. We don’t know the reason behind it yet, but you have to promise you’ll be more careful. I know you don’t like sitting down and doing nothing, but it might be more dangerous than we thought.”

Keith stared at Shiro, the words clearing his head. It was true that the chimeras had only been going after other state alchemists and their teams, but Keith wanted to know the reason behind it. He opted to listen to Shiro just for that night.

“I promise to try to stay out of trouble,” he said, his voice stern.

Shiro squinted at him, then nodded at the car behind them. Lance was still standing in the cold, his arms wrapped around himself to stay warm. Keith immediately removed his coat. “I know what you’ll say, but I think you two have a lot to talk about.”

Keith rolled his eyes. “You know it’s not that simple.”

Shiro raised his hands in surrender and began to walk inside his house. “I’m just saying.”

“Goodnight, Shiro.”

“Goodnight, Keith,” Shiro said, then turned to Lance. “Goodnight, Lance! Say hello to Blue for me!”

Lance answered him with a smile, and together they watched Shiro as he settled back into his home. When Keith walked towards the car, he immediately offered his coat to Lance, telling him that his alchemy could warm him on the way back to his own house. Lance hesitated before taking it, but he thanked Keith and offered him a smile.

They stayed in silence for a moment as Keith drove Lance back to his home. Lance had mentioned a couple of times hat he was saving to get a car of his own, but his apartment was close enough to the Central Headquarters that he could just walk to get there. It was the dinners and the visits to places that were further away that came as a problem to him, and he wasn’t happy with always asking Keith to give him a ride. Lance liked relying on others as much as Keith did.

“Don’t you think it’s amazing to see Adam and Shiro so in love with each other after so many years of being together? You used to complain about Shiro all the time, and how he was always gushing about the letters Adam sent him when we were in Ishval.”

“They were ridiculous,” Keith said, amused. “It took Shiro so long to finally confess. They just went around in circles for years, until one day Shiro came to me with news that he had finally asked Adam to have dinner with him.”

“Must be a family thing then.”

Keith turned to look at Lance then, confused. “What do you mean?”

Lance raised his brows, unamused. “Really, Keith, do you think that the way we’ve been with each other for years doesn’t count as going in circles? You asked me to have dinner with you that day when I was undercover--the day of the attack, and I thought that maybe you were finally making a move, but the next day you were acting as though all that flirting never happened.”

“I—”

“But I don’t blame you for it, because I never said anything either,” Lance said softly, then cast his gaze down and sighed. “I know that… under our circumstances, it’s impossible. But sometimes I wonder what it would be like, and then I see Adam and Shiro and I just—”

Keith’s eyes widened, the words Lance had spoken settling down in his brain. His heart was beating loudly against his chest, and he stopped driving for a moment, unable to formulate the right words to tell Lance. He realised they were only a few houses away from Lance’s apartment, and he parked in silence, still trying to process all that was happening.

“Keith?” Lance asked, his brows furrowing with worry.

“You feel the same way,” he said softly.

Lance’s features softened then, and he took Keith’s hand in his own. “Of course I do. I thought you knew! Or at the very least suspected it.”

Keith turned to look at their clasped hands, the warmth of Lance’s hand spreading through him like wildfire. It hadn’t been the first time they held hands, but this time it felt different,  _ this time Keith knew the truth. _

“I… I thought it was too good to be true.”

Lance laughed a humourless laugh. “I guess I can relate to that.”

“All these years, I…”

“I know,” Lance said softly, “You don’t have to say it.”

Keith nodded, but then he turned to look at Lance, determined. It was like that moment when he snapped his fingers before attacking an enemy, the way the fire spread through his body and moved with him in a perfect symphony.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked, his eyes never leaving Lance’s.

Lance’s eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded quickly, his eyes never leaving Keith’s either. Keith leaned his head towards Lance’s, his eyes shifting close. Lance’s breath felt hot against his lips, making him overwhelmed and giddy altogether.

The way Lance’s lips felt against Keith’s was heartwarming—almost like magic. They were soft and gentle and warm against Keith’s, everything Keith wanted, but so much more than Keith expected. Lance shifted slightly to cup Keith’s face in his hands, and every moment they parted, Keith’s lips quickly tried to find Lance’s again. They kissed and kissed and kissed for as long as they could, Keith’s hands finding their way through Lance’s silky hair, Keith’s senses relishing into the sweet scent of Lance’s shampoo—into the fresh mint hot from his mouth that left Keith breathless.

When they finally parted they stared at each other, a shared look of tenderness that made each other’s heart swell. Keith wasn’t sure what would happen from there, but his chest filled with giddiness at the thought.

He loved Lance, and Lance loved him back.


	4. iv

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to [ Jessie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talking_Bird/pseuds/Talking_Bird) and [ Noelle](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenericHero/pseuds/GenericHero) who helped me beta-read this chapter.

**May, 1915. Central, Amestris**

 

 

Lance took a deep breath as his eyes focused on the target, his finger slowly pulling the trigger.

He’d been hunting a very fast chimera for what felt like hours now, and he had been lucky to catch it while it was drinking water, distracted. The chimera in question was a strange creature, like nothing Lance had ever seen before. It had attacked Hunk earlier that week, and left him injured enough that he had to stay and rest at the hospital for a couple of weeks. Keith and Lance had agreed to find it and search for more answers to these attacks—hoping to find a way to put an end to this.

The creature—a half-wolf, half-lion—was as terrifying as it sounded. Earlier, it had caught sight of Lance and stared at him, growling loudly and showing its long fangs. Lance had been through several frightening moments in his life, but nothing compared to this. His heart pounded loudly against his chest, and his vision blurred, but he managed to shoot the creature in one leg before he ran away to find a better vantage point.

“Have you found it?” Pidge asked from behind him. She held a small gun in her hands, shaking with fear. It wasn’t often that she would join them on missions, but seeing as the team had grown smaller in the course of the week, she left the seat behind her desk and followed them. Pidge was an alchemist—a beginner alchemist, but she was an expert in building useful devices from a few pieces from metal.

“I have,” Lance said quietly. He pressed a finger against his lips to indicate that he needed quiet, then turned his eyes to the target again. He managed to shoot the chimera a couple of times, causing damage to another leg and its stomach, and the creature let out an audible cry, but soon enough another chimera appeared--a creature similar to the one Lance had been dealing with all day. Lance’s eyes widened.

He took a deep breath, knowing full well what his duty was. He knew Pidge wasn’t the best fighter in the team, let alone someone who would take the lead in situation like this, so he turned to her with a stern face. “Pidge,” he said, solemnly, “I’m gonna need you to find a way to contact the colonel. Let him know where we are, and tell him there are two chimeras surrounding us. I’ll follow them, but promise to stay low and stay calm when you talk to to him. Don’t want the colonel to do anything stupid. I’ll be back soon.”

Pidge’s eyes widened, her brows furrowed. “Lance, you can’t go out there on your own, it’s dangerous!” she exclaimed. “If anything happened to you, the colonel—” Lance stared at her, his face unflinching. She knew she couldn’t argue against his warning, so she stopped in her sentence. “Just promise you’ll stay safe.”

Lance smiled. “I’m smarter than I look.”

Pidge nodded. “Alright then,” she said, “Hurry before they get away.”

Lance saluted her and turned towards the two chimeras that were now walking and sniffing the alley—searching for Lance. He frowned as he thought about Keith. Lance knew that no matter what Pidge told Keith, he would overreact and do something impulsive. Lance’s stomach twisted. It was normal for Keith to lash out, to worry more than he liked to lead on, but now, after everything that had happened between them, he could easily place himself in danger to protect Lance.

Lance’s grip on his gun tightened, and he snuck up towards the chimeras slowly, determined. He tried not to make any noise, tried to keep his distance so they wouldn’t be able to smell him. He was at the back of a building in the middle of the city, the yellow and orange hues of the twilight surrounding all around him. The chimeras were walking around, slowly finding their way towards him. He took one look at his surroundings, praying that Pidge would call Keith in time, hoping that the chimeras— or anything else for that matter wouldn’t find her, when his eyes shifted to a small figure walking towards him.

The figure—a cat Lance was well acquainted with—made her way to his feet. She snuggled against him, purring in hopes that he would ruffle her fur and gently caress her the way he always did when he came back home after a long day from work. He stared at her in panic, hoping that her purrs weren’t loud enough for the chimeras to hear. He pressed his hand against her back, hoping to get her attention, then motioned for her to stay quiet. But instead she just stared at him—blue eyes locking with blue, and motioned for him to follow her.

“Blue, what on Earth are you even doing here?” he whispered as he walked behind her.

She turned to look at him, her expression unphased and her eyes like sapphires against the twilight. Lance followed the cat inside the building, trusting her instincts. It was a terrible idea to trap himself inside the building while the chimeras were still out there, but the thought of anything happening to Blue made his chest tighten. He needed to make sure she was safe first.

Blue stopped abruptly in front of a room, her face perking up to sniff her surroundings. She hesitated for a moment before turning to look at him.

“Hey, princess, what is it?” he asked. When she didn’t move, Lance knelt to pat her head. She purred softly and pressed her head against his hand. “You’re a really good girl, my love, but it’s better if you go back home. You could be in danger here.”

Blue turned to him then, meowing demandingly, then she stood up and motioned for him to follow her inside the room. He opened his mouth to say something, but his legs instinctively followed the cat. The room she had lead him to was dark, but it was clear to him that a scientist--or better yet, an alchemist— was living there. The place was full of the kind of machinery Lance had seen before in his father’s studio— the books, the notes, everything reminded him of his own home; but something about this place was different, something didn’t feel quite right, and it made him uneasy.

“Blue, what on Earth did you find?” he whispered. He inspected one of the books that sat opened on a desk before him, the alchemist’s code visible. He didn’t understand what the pages said, but he’d been around enough alchemists to recognise a hidden message.

“Lance?” someone called from outside. “Lance, are you in there?”

Lance turned towards the door, and Keith’s worried face greeted him. Keith’s expression softened when they locked eyes, but Lance knew seeing him standing in the middle of an unknown alchemist’s lab wasn’t enough to calm him down.

“I’m alright, but Blue lead me here,” Lance said softly, his eyes turning to Blue as he pointed at her. Keith’s eyes widened, probably now as worried about the cat as he was about Lance. “I think an alchemist lives here, Keith.”

Keith ran towards him, his eyes barely taking in their surroundings. He pressed a gentle kiss on Lance’s lips, then turned to look at the book in front of Lance, his brows furrowed. “I’m glad you’re safe. Pidge tried to hide it, but I could tell something was up.” he whispered, his eyes softening as he kept looking at Lance. “We should probably take Blue to a safer place though. Maybe you can take her back to Pidge, and I’ll check this place out; try to figure out who the hell lives here. It might be tied to the chimeras.”

Lance looked at him firmly, giving him the same expression he had given to Pidge earlier. “I’m not leaving you alone in here,” he said. “I want to check it out too. I can protect Blue and watch your back.”

“Lance--”

“You know it’s a bad idea to separate,” Lance insisted, “You don’t smell like ash, so I’m sure the chimeras are still out there searching for us. We’re together now, it’s only fair that we do these things together. If anything happened to you, or me while I’m out there—”

“Lance,” Keith interrupted, pointing a finger behind him. Lance turned his head towards the place Keith was pointing at. A chimera—the one second one he had encountered, was now staring at them, baring its fangs.

Lance’s hands immediately went to grab his gun and he shot at the chimera twice, hoping to at least cause enough damage for them to have time to run. Keith snapped his fingers behind Lance, sending a column of flame towards it. Both attacks sent the creature howling—leaving a loud and terrifying cry of pain that seeped into Lance’s ears, but instead of running away, the creature only turned angrier, more threatening.

Lance’s fingers moved towards the trigger again, his eyes staring intently at the creature’s head. He took a deep breath, trying to concentrate, but before he was able to shoot, a long, sleek sword pierced through the creature’s heart. The chimera fell to the floor gagging, revealing a tall and intimidating figure behind it. Lance let out a short gasp as his eyes locked with the man in question. The man gave the two of them a smile—a smile Lance wasn’t so sure was genuine.

“It’s good to see you here, gentlemen,” Fuhrer Zarkon said, his eyes shifting from Lance to Keith. “I wasn’t expecting you, but I guess now that you’re here, I can only welcome you to my wife’s lab.”

Keith turned to look at Lance, confusion clear in his face. Of all the people Keith and Lance had imagined to find in this place, the Fuhrer was probably the last. Lance’s stomach twisted at the thought of the Fuhrer being behind the chimera attacks, but he made a note to himself not to completely discard it. He looked down at Blue, who as now hiding behind his legs, and he grabbed her carefully.

“Your wife is an alchemist?” Keith asked curiously.

The Fuhrer smiled, baring out his teeth. The sight of that smile alone made Lance nervous. “She is,” Fuhrer Zarkon replied. “And a very talented one, I must add. Perhaps not as talented as the  _ flame alchemist _ , but I am very proud of her achievements.”

Keith quirked his head to the side, growing more curious by the second. Lance turned to look at him in panic, but he hoped the Fuhrer hadn’t noticed. He wanted to grab Keith’s hand, do something that would let Keith know that Lance was there and ready to protect him, but he didn’t want to risk the Fuhrer seeing any displays of affection between them. “Does she specialize in something?” Keith asked.

The Fuhrer’s smile grew. “Yes, in chimeras,” he replied, “You’ve just seen one of her more recent creations. She wasn’t sure about it at first, but I assured her that she had done an excellent job. She has several others here in process of creation, and more kept in cages. Would you like me to give you a tour?”

Keith and Lance turned to look at each other, Lance’s grip on Blue tightening, then Keith nodded. Lance wanted to stop him, but he understood his reasoning. If Keith said no, he could place them on a danger line against the Fuhrer. They needed to tread carefully under these circumstances. Lance gulped.

“We would love to see them,” Lance said, taking Keith by surprise. He held Blue tightly against his chest and told himself that he would get her back home safe no matter what happened.

“Excellent!” the Fuhrer exclaimed, then moved towards the door. Lance and Keith followed him, Keith’s hand quickly going to find Lance’s back. Lance let out a sigh, Keith’s hand offering the kind of comfort he needed in that moment. He closed his eyes before the Fuhrer turned to them again, indicating that they had arrived to the room where his wife kept the chimeras. Keith’s hand quickly left his back, but his eyes, soft and determined, offered Lance comfort too.

“This is her collection,” Fuhrer Zarkon said as he pointed at the group of chimeras before him. As the Fuhrer had previously explained, some of them were kept in cages, growling loudly as Keith and Lance walked inside the room, one behind the other. Every single one of them looked different—a mix between two or more creatures, each more terrifying than the former. Lance stared at each of them, his brows knitting together as Blue trembled in his arms. He didn’t know where the Fuhrer’s wife had gotten all these creatures from, but he imagined they weren’t happy about the fate they had found.

“Well, it seems your wife has a true talent for the creation of chimeras,” Lance said, his voice slightly higher-pitched than normal. He closed his eyes, hoping to find more courage to speak to the Fuhrer normally, but the more Blue trembled against him, the more he wanted to take her back home. He felt Keith’s presence behind him then, and he found his courage again. “They’re fantastic.”

“I agree,” the Fuhrer said, pride transparent in his voice, “The bigger they are, the better.”

They walked the rest of the small journey in silence, Lance studying each of the creatures with both fear and respect. The Fuhrer lead them towards another room, one filled with monstrous animals inside pods. Lance realised that they were in the process of converting, their bodies still recognisable. It was true that the Fuhrer’s wife was making each creature bigger than the former, and the escalation showed from pod to pod. Lance stroked Blue’s hair to calm her down.

“My love, you didn’t tell me we would have visitors,” a voice said from behind them. Keith and Lance turned to look at a woman with old clothes and long, luscious hair. She was heavily damaged by the years, but Lance thought she had probably been very beautiful in her youth. His stomach churned at the thought of what she had now become.

“Pardon me, love,” the Fuhrer replied. “The truth is I wasn’t expecting them either.”

The woman took a step towards them, her eyes inspecting Keith and Lance carefully, almost as though she was studying them, considering turning them into chimeras. Her eyes fell towards the cat in Lance’s arms, and her expression softened. “You must be the famous flame alchemist, and his most loyal companion. My husband has told me a lot about you two—you’re both war heroes. I wasn’t aware of one of you having a liking for cats,” she said and smiled down at Lance, “They’re my favourite animals, the only ones I could never use for one of my projects.”

Lance hesitated before allowing the woman to stroke Blue’s hair, but he thought that perhaps the woman would be kind to them if he showed her loyalty. The woman did so willingly, every caress she gave to the cat as soft as the fur she was touching. She silently thanked Lance before she took a step towards her chimeras.

“I hope you like my collection,” she said, “My husband’s very proud of them.”

“You’re very talented,” Lance said, “We were just discussing it.”

The woman smiled at him. “That’s very kind of you, thank you,” she said softly, then her expression turned somber. “Unfortunately, that’s all I can show you for now. It should be time for both of you to leave, before I consider turning either of you into my next magnificent creature.”

Fuhrer Zarkon nodded, his expression matching his wife’s. “I can show you the way out.”

Keith and Lance nodded, and followed the Fuhrer outside. Neither of them dared to speak, but Lance was able to recognise the tension in Keith’s shoulders. Keith had been able to find the answers to some of his questions, but it came at a cost that neither of them had anticipated. Lance’s face scrunched up in disgust at the sight of the dead chimera the Fuhrer had previously killed, the thought of him destroying his wife’s work without feeling remorse making his stomach sick.

“Well, I hope this little adventure turned out to be educational on your end,” the Fuhrer said, that terrifying smile returning to his lips. Lance shivered. “Now you know why I never take my wife to important events, people are bound to think and speak ill of her.” He turned to look at Keith, his expression turning grim again. “But now that you know my secret, it is of utmost importance that you never speak of this to anyone, and then perhaps I will spare your life.” His expression softened then, making Lance more and more nervous with every sudden change of mood. “It was a pleasure to see you gentlemen this afternoon. I hope to see you again on Monday. Have a good evening.”

Lance and Keith bid the Fuhrer goodbye before turning to look at each other, their worry and surprise matching the other’s. Lance was the first one to open his mouth.

“So, what now?”


	5. v

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed Lotor's and Zarkon's canon dynamic a bit to fit the story better, so forewarning. 
> 
> Special thanks to [ Jessie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talking_Bird/pseuds/Talking_Bird) and [ Paria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/laallomri) who helped me beta-read this chapter.

**May, 1915. Central, Amestris.**

  
  


“Colonel Kogane, you may come in!” Fuhrer Zarkon exclaimed. 

Keith turned to look at the man standing before him, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his uniform. He wasn’t aware of how much the Fuhrer had heard about him after their encounter with the Fuhrer’s wife, but he thought it hadn’t been much judging by the smile in the Fuhrer’s face. Keith couldn’t help but to stare at the man before him in fear.

“Sir,” Keith said after saluting him.

The Fuhrer laughed. “Please, take a seat,” he said as he pointed at one of the chairs before his desk. Keith obeyed him, and took a look around the room. His eyes moved towards the window and his lips turned into a thin line as he realised it was raining outside. “I trust you and Lieutenant McClain have been well.”

“We have, sir,” Keith replied, his jaw clenching. There was something in the Fuhrer’s expression that made him uneasy—like a lion seconds before attacking its prey. It was strange that the Fuhrer would ask for Lance’s well being without asking about the rest of the team, but he tried not to dwell on the thought much.

The Fuhrer stood up from his seat then, not bothering to give Keith a glance. He stared out at the window, droplets running from top to bottom. Weather in Central had never been ideal, but several rainstorms had been hitting the city throughout the week, ruining several of Keith’s plans. He hadn’t gone on any important missions, but he had been telling as many people as he could about his discoveries in regards to the Fuhrer and his wife, Lance and Shiro by his side.

“I’ve heard rumours that you’d like to be the Fuhrer one day, to be my successor after my passing,” Fuhrer Zarkon said, his gaze still focused on the city outside his window. “That’s quite ambitious.”

“Yes, sir,” Keith replied, “But that’s not entirely true. While I’d like to be Fuhrer one day, I’m not sure I would be your successor since I’m only twenty-five. And it’s not just ambition. I want to protect this country and provide the people all the help I can give. There’s only so much a colonel can do.”

The Fuhrer’s muscles tensed and his breathing became slightly erratic. Keith took a deep breath, his eyes  downcast. The more time he spent stuck inside the Fuhrer’s office, the more anxious he became—yearning to run out into the rain to catch a breath of fresh air. Fuhrer Zarkon’s presence was suffocating. He thought about this office welcoming him and Lance one day, how together they would rebuild the country and restore peace to Amestris with the help of all the soldiers working around them. He knew that even at this point it was still a childish dream, but it brought a smile to his face, and he grounded himself in his chair.

“General Lotor informed me that despite everything you did there, you didn’t approve of my methods regarding the Ishvalan War,” the Fuhrer said, his voice somber. You’re one of our most skilled fighters, yet you’re not a man of war?”

Keith stayed silent, not really knowing what to say. He looked down at his hands, the white gloves that covered them. He wondered for a moment what would have been of his life if he had taken another path, if he had never joined the military the way Lance’s father had advised him. Would he and Lance had gotten together at a much younger age? Would they have gotten together at all? Would Lance be happier, doing something different himself, something that didn’t place him in danger so often? Would Keith be happier as well? Keith shook his head.

_ This is the only way you can protect others—protect Lance,  _ he thought.  _ This is the only way you can do what’s right. _

“You’re a man of honour, Colonel Kogane,” Fuhrer Zarkon said, turning to look at Keith again. He didn’t take his seat back, but he offered Keith a warm smile. “Not only are you a skilled fighter, but you’re also a clever man—you and your lieutenant. Amestris would be fortunate to have a man like you as Fuhrer. The first state alchemist to do so.”

Keith locked eyes with the Fuhrer, the bitterness of the last sentence sinking onto Keith like sharp teeth. Despite the warmth in the Fuhrer’s voice and expression, every single word was a threat against Keith and everything he stood for. Keith didn’t dare look away.

“General Lotor has heard rumours. He may not always be up to date on military business, but he has eyes and ears everywhere. He knows much more than he leads on,” the Fuhrer said proudly.

Keith flinched at the mention of the Fuhrer’s son. It wasn’t often that Fuhrer Zarkon talked about the members of his family, but when he did, there was a message hidden—like the story behind the chimera attacks, or how his wife had been the reason behind him climbing into power. Keith too, knew much more than he lead on.

“I’m sure your son is well acquainted with everything that happens in this community,” Keith said. “I’ve met him before. He’s very eloquent. Always has a trick up his sleeve.”

The Fuhrer smirked. “You must be wondering why I sent those chimera attacks. Why I specifically targeted state alchemists.”

Keith raised a brow in curiosity. That had been the only thing Lance hadn’t found an answer to, and although they both had ideas, neither of them reached a proper conclusion. Fuhrer Zarkon was as clever as he was unpredictable, and although he stood out more for his fighting skills, it was well known that many of his plans were created by his son.

“I may not know what your plans are,” Keith said, his expression solemn. “But it doesn’t mean I can’t try to stop you.”

The Fuhrer laughed again. “There’s no need to jump to violence just yet,” he said, “I promised to spare your life after you met my wife. She’s taken a liking to Lieutenant McClain and his cat, and she would never forgive me if I caused either of them harm. But my son informed me about your inability to keep your mouth shut, and I must take matters into my hands.”

Keith stood up from his seat, fire flowing through his veins. He placed his hands on the Fuhrer’s desk and glared at him. “If anyone dares to lay a hand on my team, or Lieutenant General Shirogane, I will make sure that the last thing General Lotor sees is fire before he loses his life.”

The Fuhrer smiled. “There’s no need for you to threaten me. I’ve already lost a son before, I’m not afraid to lose another,” the Fuhrer said, his voice mocking. “It is you who is afraid to lose the people you love.”

Keith’s eyes widened, realisation washing over him. Several members of his team had gotten a letter before he was called into the Fuhrer’s office, and he knew Shiro had left that morning for Resembool. He sat on the chair again, all the fire leaving his body. Perhaps the Fuhrer had caused his team no harm, but he had taken them all away from him—taken them somewhere where he couldn’t protect them, couldn’t laugh with them and live with the reassurance that despite living a life of danger, they would always have each other.

Keith’s heart clenched at the thought of Lance leaving Central, not being with him every waking moment of his life like he had for the past ten years. Keith took a deep breath.

“I hope this serves as a lesson to you, Colonel,” Fuhrer Zarkon said smugly, “But if you excuse me, I have another important meeting I must attend.”

Keith turned to look at the Fuhrer, his fists clenched. “Sir.”

Keith walked in silence towards his office, his eyes downcast. He knew that his office would already be empty by the time he got there, so he made no effort to walk faster. When he arrived, he took a look around the office—the way books had been left on desks, how Pidge’s machinery was still in place, but how cold and deserted everything looked without Pidge, Hunk, Ryan, and Lance there.

Keith’s heart clenched at the realisation that Lance was no longer there, how he had been forced to leave without saying goodbye, and Keith’s eyes watered. He sat on his desk, noticed a small figurine still in place, and he took it. It was a wooden prince Lance had carved for him as a present when Keith turned seventeen and the memory of that birthday was still fresh in his mind. They had spent hours playing in the garden and reading each other stories from their favourite books. That night Lance had given him the figurine right before bed, and asked him to keep it as a good luck charm for whenever he left Lance’s house to continue his life.

“What am I gonna do without you?”

 

* * *

 

 

Keith opened the door to his house, placed his coat on the hanger, and removed his shoes. The rain hadn’t stopped in the course of the day, but Keith made sure to take an umbrella with him. He could almost hear Lance’s voice in the back of his head, telling him him to carry an umbrella every day because going back home soaking wet could be dangerous with the Fuhrer and the chimeras lurking around. Or he could catch a cold. Keith’s eyes stung.

He walked towards his room in silence, not really having the energy to try and cook himself something for dinner. His thoughts and his memories were too suffocating, and all he wanted was to lay in bed and sleep for the rest of his day.

He turned on the lights for a minute to change his clothes when he noticed two figures sitting on his bed. His eyes widened, his heart stammering wildly against his chest. “Lance?” he asked, his eyes moving from the man before him, to the cat laying by his side.

“I wanted to see you one last time before leaving in the morning. I hope that doesn’t bother you.”

Keith felt a tear run down his cheek, and he moved to take Lance in his arms. They stood there embracing for a long moment, neither of them saying anything. Keith closed his eyes as he took the scent of Lance’s shampoo, his heart swelling with all the memories it brought him. He smiled against Lance’s neck, every corner of his head yelling in gratitude.

“I brought you something for dinner,” Lance said after they separated. He grabbed a small plate and handed it to Keith. “I thought you might wanna stay in bed, so I have it here.”

Keith placed a quick kiss on Lance’s lips. “Thank you,” he said, and turned to look at the cat sitting before them. “I can’t believe you brought Blue with you.”

Lance looked embarrassed, his hand quickly moving to the back of his head. “Oh, I just—I wanted to ask you if you could take care of her while I was away. She really loves Central, and the place I was sent to really isn’t fit for a cat. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I don’t know who else I could turn to.”

Keith placed the plate again on the bed and ran his hand through Blue’s fur. She purred affectionately and rubbed her head against his hand. Keith smiled, but the realisation of Lance’s words sank into his stomach. “I promise to take care of her, Lance.”

“Thank you,” Lance whispered before placing a short kiss on Keith’s lips.

They stared at each other for a moment, their faces still close. Keith could feel Lance’s breath against his lips, the fresh taste of mint alluring him. He leaned in to kiss Lance again, passionately—as though they were running out of time and this was their last kiss. His hands rummaged around Lance’s silky hair, the softness of it a sweet sensation against his fingertips. He sighed onto the kiss, allowing it to take over every bit of his head, his senses, himself. Every touch of Lance’s lips against his own making Keith’s heartbeat louder. They separated for a moment, both in need of air, before Keith tried to lean in again, but Blue moved in between them, her eyes demanding attention. Keith and Lance laughed, their eyes still locked on each other, and both placed a hand against Blue’s back.

They stood there in silence, both mesmerized by the sweetness of the moment. Lance moved a hand towards Keith’s and motioned for Keith to lay in bed next to him. Keith removed the plate from the bed, too busy thinking about the happiness of having Lance there one last time to consider eating. He placed his head against Lance’s chest, the rhythm of Lance’s heartbeat lulling him and sending shivers along his spine. He noticed Blue had found a place to curl herself in between the two of them, and Keith smiled.

“Can you stay here for the night?” Keith asked, his hands pressed against Lance’s shirt.

“Of course, love,” Lance replied softly, his hands running through Keith’s hair.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this fic, I hope it was enjoyable! If you ever want to gush to me about klance and royai, you can find me on Twitter ([roymvstangs](https://twitter.com/roymvstangs)) and Tumblr ([bleulily](http://bleulily.tumblr.com/))


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